


Safe

by Rainripple



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 19:32:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12306189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainripple/pseuds/Rainripple
Summary: It's not the first night Camilla has to calm Niles down and it won't be the last.





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> I just really randomly got the urge to write niles/camilla and of course the same old same old nightmare stuff is what actually makes me write and finish something. Hopefully this all makes sense lmao this kinda ended up being really self-indulgent. If theres anything i need to change in the tags or the rating let me know. I hope you like this, please leave a comment! I'll appreciate it even if it's just "this was good"!

Camilla awakens to the sound of a loud thump. 

She blinks at the wall for a brief second before sitting up to glance around the room. Nothing appears to be out of order so she slides out from beneath the covers and steps towards the door to investigate. 

The only things out in the corridor are Beruka, her axe and an unknown man. Her retainer looks up at her and affirms that she has it all sorted before proceeding to drag the corpse away. Camilla watches her for a moment before shutting the door as quietly as she can.

A feeble whimper almost startles her. She has a bad idea about what it means and her suspicions are confirmed when she returns to her bed. 

The covers have gotten themselves partially tangled with Niles’ legs, no doubt a result of whatever agitated tossing and turning he’s done. Niles’ arms are crossed, his fingers gripping his biceps so tightly Camilla gets concerned he’s going to cut off his blood supply. His face is contorted some sort of pained expression. It makes Camilla’s heart ache.

She shakes his trembling shoulders gently. “Darling-”

Camilla doesn’t get an opportunity to say much more than that because that’s exactly the moment when Niles startles awake and flinches away from her touch. He makes a blind scramble away from her until he’s backed himself against the wall. His eye darts all over the place, as if he’s trying to look for an escape route or something to defend himself with.

He doesn’t seem like he’s fully woken up from whatever nightmare he was trapped in before. Camilla attempts to move closer but Niles notices immediately and shakily whispers, “D-don’t come any closer.”

She does as he asks; there’s no sense in causing him any further distress. That doesn’t mean she intends to leave him like that though. Camilla likes flustering Niles but it’s not fun if he’s suffering. He stares at her like a spooked cat, his face twisted in fear at something she can’t see and he’s breathing like he just ran all the way to Hoshido and back.

Neither of them are strangers to trauma. This is far from the first time Niles has had a bad night and Camilla herself has her own fair share of traumatic flashbacks. They’ve still yet to completely open up to each other – Niles still refuses to remove his eyepatch in front of her – but that doesn’t stop them from trying to help each other with what they do know and they can at least provide each other some comfort. While she’ll never get used to the fear on Niles’ face, she at least has more than adequate experience in quelling it. Camilla has had plenty of practice soothing her siblings afterall.

“Niles,” she says in a low voice. “It’s your wife, Camilla.”

He makes no moves so she speaks again. “Listen to me, I want you to close your eye and breathe with me.”

She begins to count in 1…2…3…and then out 1…2…3… and continues to repeat the cycle. Niles tries his best to follow her instructions and she’s relieved when he begins to look less distressed.

Camilla attempts to stand up but almost ends up undoing her work again when Niles’ eye snaps open and he jolts at her movement. She gets back down on her knees. “It’s okay Niles. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I…” he takes a deep breath in. “I…I know…”

With the gentlest smile she can muster, she says, “Can I come closer?” He nods and she continues, “Okay. I’m moving towards you now. Keep those breaths even.” 

Slowly, she moves her on her hands and knees until she’s close enough for them to touch. Niles is pretty much almost motionless throughout all of this. He flinches a little when Camilla lifts her arms but doesn’t move away. When he sees that all she did was open her arms for him, all it takes is a nod from his wife before he lets himself sag and fall into her arms.

Camilla encloses him in a warm embrace and she thinks she heard a little sob. One hand strokes his white hair soothingly. He’s completely limp in her arms.

“How are you feeling, darling?”

He shifts his face from where it was buried in her shoulder. “Disgusting.” Camilla isn’t stupid enough to think he’s referring to how sweaty he is.

There’s no doubt that Niles’ is exhausted by all of this. None of his usual attitude is there, no witty remarks or innuendos to fill up the silence. 

For a few moments longer, they linger on the floor before she suggests they return to the bed. They return to normal sleeping positions but Camilla can only stand watching Niles stare at the ceiling for five minutes before she sighs and sits up.

She sits up and beckons him. He looks a little puzzled so she just pulls him into her lap.

Niles’ eye, as beautiful as it is sometimes, looks completely dead at the moment. “I’m not Lord Leo.”

“I know. You deserve this just as much as he does.” She cocks her head. “Does this make you uncomfortable?”

“…No.” He looks kind of guilty when he meets her eyes. “I’m sorry you have to deal with…this.”

“Hush darling, just relax.” Camilla coos, pulling him towards her so he’s resting comfortably on her chest. As she intertwines a hand with his, she whispers, “You’re safe with me. I won’t let _anyone_ hurt you.” He twitches at that.

She rocks him and sings him lullabies until his grip on her hand loosens and his eye shuts. Once she is sure he’s asleep, she gently lays him back on the bed. She pulls the covers back over them and pulls Niles closer. 

He looks miles calmer now, a gentler expression gracing his face than before. She takes one last look at him before she shuts her own eyes and joins him in some blissful sleep.


End file.
